Be impartial, PM tells Governors
New Delhi, June 15
Asking the Governors to rise above partisan politics while discharging their constitutional obligations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged them to play the role of elder statesmen in ensuring that inter-state issues are handled with sagacity without spilling over as major disputes.

Chautala’s casino project is dead
President rejects Haryana Gambling Bill
Chandigarh, June 15
Mr Om Prakash Chautala's favourite project to set up a chain of casinos in Haryana is finally dead. This is the outcome of the refusal by the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, to give his assent to the controversial Public Gambling (Haryana Amendment) Bill, 2002, which was the basis for Chautala's Bill on casinos.

2 close associates of Hawara arrested
Chandigarh/Ropar June 15
The Punjab Police has reportedly arrested from Ropar district two close associates of Jagtar Singh Hawara. Though their credentials are being kept a secret, the sources in the Punjab Police headquarters claim one of the detainees was to act as a human bomb.

Punjab page:Police says it has evidence of Hawara’s marriage
Police to seek Hawara’s remand for interrogation

VHP asks Advani to take ‘sanyas’ Hardwar, June 15 Blowing hot and cold amid reports of differences among Hindu saints and RSS pressure to tone down, the VHP today said it would “forgive” BJP President L.K. Advani if the religious leaders desired even as it extended support to Gandhinagar voters seeking his resignation from Lok Sabha.	In video (28k, 56k)
BJP rejects VHP demand

Senior separatist leader Hashim Qureshi has said all initial armed training to Kashmiri youths was imparted at the camps run by Pakistan’s Information Minister Sheikh Rashid.

World page: Sonia for transparent fight against terror Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) gestures as he invites Congress President Sonia Gandhi for negotiations at Konstantinovsky Palace, 20 km from St. Petersburg, on Wednesday. — Reuters

Non-iodised salt banned
New Delhi, June 15
Realising the health risks of iodine and iron deficiency, the government today reinstated the ban on the sale of non-iodised salt in the country for human consumption and announced that double fortification of salt with iron and iodine would soon be made compulsory.

OPEC lifts oil limits
Vienna, June 15
OPEC lifted oil output limits on Wednesday but, bumping up against full capacity, failed to make any immediate dent in $55 a barrel crude.

Groundwater level falling 20 cm every year New Delhi, June 15 In India, several districts, more than 250 out of the total 590, have been showing a continuous declining trend in the groundwater level during the pre-monsoon period in the past 10 years. According to a survey carried out by the Central Ground Water Board, several of these districts are located up north where the health of the groundwater is not up to the mark.